06:23 PM April 22nd, 2013

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April 22nd, 2013 06:23 PM

Former senator Jamby Madrigal. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MARAWI City, Philippines — Senatorial candidate Jamby Madrigal was one of only two Team PNoy bets who traveled for several hours by land to attend its rally in the provincial capitol gym here on Monday.

Only after mingling with the crowd did she notice that the jade bracelet she took off and put inside one of her vest pockets before she started shaking hands was missing.

Madrigal and her staff did not discuss the incident with reporters but one witness close to her said she considered the piece of jewelry allegedly valued at P18,000 as “lucky.”

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It would be recalled that in 1998, then vice presidential candidate Sen. Edgardo Angara also had a Timex watch snatched from his arm during a Mindanao sortie. Madrigal faced reporters in an impromptu news conference after leaving the city. She did not volunteer any details about what happened.

Replying to a question unrelated to the missing bracelet, Madrigal said the time and effort exerted by local officials who made sure that Team PNoy sorties went as planned should be enough reason to attend these provincial trips.

Madrigal, who has only missed about three of these sorties since the national campaign began on Feb. 12, expressed wish that other Team PNoy candidates would show the same regard for the work done by their local supporters.

Madrigal and Grace Poe were the only Team PNoy bets who showed up in Marawi.

Ramon Magsaysay Jr., Risa Hontiveros and Bam Aquino sent proxies while the rest of the 12 senatorial candidates did not show up at all.

“I am a team player. It is incumbent for one to attend the rallies as a show of solidarity for the group. It’s only proper that we show up because the local government officials went out of their way to prepare for our rallies,” Madrigal said in Filipino.

“It’s also a sign of respect and gratitude to the people who made these rallies possible to show up. Medyo napakawalang galang (disrespectful) when one doesn’t show up,” she added.

By her recollection, Madrigal said she has attended “about 98 percent” of all Team PNoy rallies since the senatorial campaign began.

President Aquino later arrived via helicopter in the rally after Madrigal and Poe have left.